Moments in Time
by alexkj
Summary: A collection of one-shots centered around the lives of Red and Kitty Forman. Appearances by EF, LF, SH, JB, F.
1. Home

_Hi Everyone! This is my first attempt at T70S Fanfiction. I plan for this to be a collection of one-shots. Most of the stories will be either flash-back fics or missing scenes. Most chapter's will be centered around RK with the occasional appearance of other characters in the show. I do not own any of the characters in this story. This is just for fun!:) Hope you enjoy!_

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It was a late summer evening and Kitty sat nervously on the couch waiting for her husband to get home from work. She had just put the kids to bed, and tried to busy herself. She picked up a magazine that was on the coffee table and thumbed through it. He always called if he was going to be late. She had not been on the phone or left the house all afternoon so there was no way she could have missed his call. About that time she saw headlights pull into the driveway. A wave of relief washed over her. She was fighting feelings of screaming at him for worrying her and giving him a huge welcome home hug and kiss.

She heard the sliding glass door open and stood up from the couch to greet him. She barely took a step toward the kitchen before he frantically swung through the swinging door, and immediately headed for the stairs.

"Red!" she called after him, but he was already taking the stairs two at a time.

Many thoughts crossed through her mind as she followed him.

What happened? Where is he going? Why was he so late?

When she finally caught up she noticed that Laurie's bedroom door was cracked open.

She said his name again, whispering this time, "Red?"

He continued to not respond. She peeked her head into Laurie's room, and there was Red kneeled down at the side of her bed. One hand resting on her back and the other stroking her blonde curly hair. He was just staring at her, watching her sleep. She wanted to speak again, try to get him to communicate something with her. However, the moment was too sweet. She leaned against the door frame and watched him gaze at their child. She couldn't possibly feel more love for him than she did in this moment.

After a few minutes, he gave Laurie a soft kiss on the head. He then stood up and calmly walked passed her across the hall to Eric's room. Again, she leaned against the door frame watching her husband kneeling at their son's bedside. He rubbed his hand through Eric's hair. Eric stirred slightly, then he woke up.

The four year old sleepily opened his eyes. At first he was slightly startled by the sight of his Dad looking at him. He worried that he might be in trouble for something. Once he focused his eyes he noticed how relaxed his Dad's face was. It wasn't his angry look. Eric didn't know what to say at first. He settled for something obvious.

"You're home."

Red smiled at him, "I'm home."

Earlier in the evening, Laurie and Eric had been full of questions about why their father wasn't home from work. Their normal summer routine was that Dad got home from work around 5:30; they would eat dinner together, and then spend time with Red while Kitty took care of dinner clean up. This gave the kids some quality time with their Dad, and Mommy would get to have a few brief moments away from her energetic children. After cleaning up the kitchen, Kitty would always join them in the living room or outside in the backyard.

Tonight was different. Dad didn't come home from work at his normal time. Both children were curious about what delayed their father. Kitty kept a brave face, and simply stated that Daddy had to work late tonight. Even though Kitty was completely torn up with worry about her husband. Eric could sense this, but kept his mouth shut. Laurie didn't say anything and seemed to believe his mother's story so he went along with his sister and tried to pretend the evening was normal.

While staring back at his Dad, Eric began to wonder if he was in the middle of a dream. He had never before woke up in the middle of the night to the sight of his Dad. They had a good relationship and he looked up to Red, but they did not have the close relationship he and his mother shared. Kitty was more loving and understanding. Red was always telling him to be tough, and tough guys did not show their emotions. However, the way his Dad was looking at him right now he thought it might be okay this once…maybe he needed to hear it. Sleepily, he said the next words without fear.

"Missed you tonight, Dad. Love you."

Red tilted his head to the side slightly. He was struggling with expressing his feelings, but in this moment was unable to deny his son. He spoke the next words in a quiet voice.

Red continued to rub his calloused had through Eric's hair. "Love you too, son. Go back to sleep."

Eric's eyes closed again. He was out cold in a matter of seconds. He most likely wouldn't remember this in the morning, or maybe think it was a dream. Red watched his son for a moment more before standing up and walking towards Kitty.

Kitty felt like her heart could melt after what she just witnessed. Red being so gentle and sweet with their children was something she didn't see very often. It made moments like this even more special.

Kitty looked at Red with a worried expression. He made eye contact with her, then put his arm around her shoulders. They exited Eric's room together and made their way towards the stairs.

Kitty looked up at Red, "What happened today, honey? Why were you so late getting home? We missed you."

"Let's sit down first."

When they got to the bottom of the stairs, they sat on the couch together. Kitty snuggled in to him and waited for him to speak.

"There was an accident at the plant this afternoon."

Kitty's eyes widened, but she let him continue.

"I was down on the floor working today alongside one of the new hires…John."

It was difficult for Red to say his name.

" I had my back turned to the equipment for just a second and I felt something hit my back. I was knocked to the floor. "

Kitty looked up at Red, and all she could see was a blank expression on his face.

"When I stood up and turned around I noticed that piece of equipment had fallen over right where I was standing. "

Kitty interrupted, "Well thank goodness all it did was knock you down, Red. You're lucky you didn't get hurt."

"No Kitty, you don't understand. That piece of equipment…it weighs around a ton…as much as a car at least. It didn't knock me down. John did. "

Kitty still had a confused expression on her face.

"John pushed me out of the way, Kitty. That's what knocked me over. He saved my life."

Red paused for a second. Unsure of how to continue. He still had a hard time reliving what had happened, and explaining it to his wife was even more difficult.

"And in the process, he took his own. He was crushed under that equipment Kitty."

"Oh, Red…"

Kitty shuddered just thinking about it. How awful it must have been for her husband to see that. How he must be feeling right now. He started rambling.

"He was only nineteen years old. I don't know what he was thinking, maybe he saw it falling and it was just instinct to push me out of the way. "

Red sat up and leaned over slightly, his head in his hands.

"I feel so guilty right now…it should have been me."

Kitty turned him back towards her so they were facing each other. She held his face between her hands.

"Red, sweetheart, guilt is a pointless feeling right now. There was nothing you could have done differently. It was an awful accident. It's not your fault."

"I'm sorry I didn't call and that I worried you. I just haven't been able to get my head right. There was an investigation into the accident. We had to fill out reports, explain to his mother. Kitty it was so terrible…"

Kitty had tears in her eyes

"Don't worry about not calling, honey. I'm just so glad that you are home right now. It was wonderful for you to stay and help with all that. You are such an amazing man. I'm so lucky."

Her voice cracked as she put her forehead against his for a few seconds and gave him a soft kiss on the lips before he spoke again.

"On the way home all I could think about was you, Laurie, and Eric. I knew they would be asleep…" He paused for a second.

"I just needed to see my kids."

She touched his cheek with her hand and a few tears slid down her face.

"Red, I'm just so happy you're okay."

Red stared into her eyes and spoke from his heart. Something that was often difficult for him.

"I love you so much, Kitty."

"Oh, I love you too, Red."

She smiled as they snuggled in to each other's embrace once more. Both lost in their thoughts about what could have happened. So thankful for Red's safety, and the time they would get to continue spending together as a family.

The End

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 _Hopefully this doesn't seem too OOC. I seem to be drawn to character's that have a rough exterior, but a hidden sweet side. There are so many layers to the onion that is Red Forman. Through my stories I hope to capture the softer side of Red that we didn't always get to see in the show. I hope you enjoyed this story. Please let me know what you think in a review! :)_


	2. Disappointment

He walked into the kitchen, and saw her standing at the sink washing dishes. He didn't want to bother her, but this was important.

"Mommy?"

Without turning around she responded "What is it, sweetie?

"Can I talk to you about something?

She picked up a dishtowel, dried her hands, and turned around to face her son. His little face looked as though he was thinking hard about something. "Sure, honey. Let's sit down at the table."

They sat down and she waited for him to speak. She loved watching him when he was thinking. The way his brow furrowed. He reminded her so much of Red.

"Mommy, I want to quit t-ball."

She wasn't surprised by his statement, however she wanted to be encouraging.

"You want to quit? You seemed like you were having a good time out there with your friends. What brought this on, honey?

"I just don't like it." He was upset and frustrated. Not just with the sport, but with himself. "I'm not very good…"

"Sweetheart, these things take time. You have to practice really hard to get better."

"I have practiced hard. I can't do anything right though. All Dad does is yell at me."

Her heart broke for him. "Is that what this is about? Your father?"

Red was so excited when he bought Eric his first baseball glove. They immediately started working together on throwing and catching the ball. Right away it was obvious that Eric was not a natural at the sport. He was not interested at all. However, Red kept forcing the situation. He wanted is son to be a good ball player.

He looked up at her. His green eyes started to water, and his voice cracked. He was doing his best to be tough, but he was struggling. "I don't like disappointing him."

She reached out to touch his hand, "Oh honey, you're not disappointing him."

He was such a sweet boy. He wanted to please everyone.

"Yes, I am. All he ever does is yell at me. I'm just tired of it."

"Your father just wants the best for you, Eric. All the yelling it's…well…it's just his way.

Eric was silent. He was taking in her words and trying to understand them.

She spoke again "You know you're going to have to tell him right?"

His little eyes met hers. They were full of worry.

"He's going to hate me."

"He could never hate you, Eric. You need to make him understand how you feel about the situation. If you don't, it's never going to get better."

An idea popped into his head. "Can you tell him for me?"

She silently shook her head at him. A slight look if disappointment crossed his face. He knew what he had to do, he just wasn't looking forward to it.

Later that evening, Eric walked into his Dad's den. Red was reading the paper so he didn't see Eric at first. After a minute or two, Eric finally got the courage to speak up.

"Dad."

The newspaper wrinkled slightly and Red looked at him.

"Can I talk to you?"

"What is it, son? I'm trying to read the paper."

Red turned his attention back to the paper, and Eric lost his confidence. He turned to walk back into the living room, and walked right into his mother. She had been listening. Eric gave her his best 'help me' look. She turned him around and gave him a small push.

She whispered, "Go on, sweetie."

Kitty sat on the stairs and Eric walked back into the den. Red had not even noticed him walk out.

Eric cleared his throat. "Uh, Dad."

Red wrinkled the paper down again, but this time with more aggravation.

"Eric, just spit it out. I'm trying to read here."

Kitty was listening on the stairs and rolled her eyes at her husband. He was so hard on him.

"Dad, I don't like t-ball…I'm not very good…I want to quit."

"You what?" He put his paper down and sat up in his chair. "You're not quitting. No son of mine is going to be a quitter."

"But Dad I'm so bad at it…you've even said so yourself."

His voice softened slightly "When did I say that?"

"Like after every practice. You're always mumbling about how I did this wrong or that wrong. I'm just tired of it."

Red looked at his son for a second. He thought his words would make Eric want to work harder, and get better. However, his actions were having the opposite effect.

"Eric, sit down."

Eric sat down on the ottoman in front of Red's chair. Red sat right in front of him and looked straight into his son's eyes.

"Look, son. I know that t-ball hasn't been the easiest for you, but I really think if we keep practicing it will get better. You can't quit something just because it is hard for you…"

Eric sighed and nodded his head. Red was not understanding.

"…and if it doesn't get better, if you still hate it at the end of the season, then we can talk about not playing next year. "

Eric took a moment to ponder his father's words. It seemed like a fair deal.

"Okay."

Red gave his son's knee a small slap. "Alright. You still have to work hard the rest of this season though. I don't want to see you slacking off."

Eric looked at his Dad and nodded, "Yes, sir."

Eric left the den through the dining room and went out the back door. He was happy with how the conversation went with his father, and even happier with the possibility of not having to play ball next year.

Kitty stood up from the stairs and walked around the corner into the den. Red looked up at her and she smiled at him.

"It was nice to hear you be so understanding with him."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I know baseball really isn't going to be his thing." He gave her a half smile.

Kitty softly sat down on his lap and snuggled into him. He put his arms around her waist and clasped his hands together.

"Well, you two will just have to find something else that you can do together."

Red looked straight ahead and spoke in a soft voice. "I don't think we have the same interests, Kitty." It was obvious that the thought of not having anything in common with his son was upsetting to Red.

"Now Red, don't give up. You will find something eventually…I'm sure of it."

He looked up, and their eyes met. She leaned down to give him a small peck on the lips. When they pulled apart he took a moment to gaze into her eyes and gave her waist a tight squeeze. She always knew what to say…

"Thanks, sweetheart."

She smiled at him, and gave him one more quick kiss. She spoke as she stood up from his lap.

"Finish reading your paper. Dinner will be ready around 6:30."

With the difficult conversation taken care of, the family was able to enjoy the rest of their evening.

The End

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 _I hope everyone enjoyed this one-shot. I love the complex relationship of Red and Eric. I have always felt that even though Red is extremely tough on him, he really does love and care for Eric. I think a lot of their issues began because they don't have much in common, and Red does not know how to connect with his son. Even though they lack common interests, they still have similar qualities like mannerisms, etc. that Kitty is able to recognize. I hope I was able to display that in this fic, and give some insight into the relationship._

 _I am a new writer, and very open to constructive criticism. Please let me know what you think, and how I can improve. Thanks so much for reading! :)_


	3. Dance

Steven and Jackie were on their way back to the basement after their Friday night date. Jackie had been extremely cheerful at the fact that Steven had taken it upon himself to plan this special night for her. Typically, they would spend Friday night cruising and then drinking beer with the gang on top of the water tower. She was happy to spend the evening alone with her man. They went to dinner and a show. It was such a perfect night. However, the couple was most excited about spending some "quality" time in the basement. Private moments in the basement were few and far between so after their movie ended they raced each other back to Steven's car. Steven always made an effort to be a safe driver, especially when Jackie was in the car with him. Without surpassing the speed limit, Steven drove back to the Forman house so the pair could continue their date.

Steven parked the El Camino in the street in front of the house. He then opened Jackie's door, and they casually walked hand in hand up the drive way. Steven leaned in to give Jackie a light kiss on the temple.

"I had a fun night with you doll."

Jackie smiled at him.

"More fun than hanging out with the rest of the gang?"

"Definitely, it's nice for it to be just us for once."

Jackie loved being with him like this. He always says the sweetest things when it is just the two of them. As the pair got closer to the garage they noticed the kitchen light was still on. Typically Mr. Forman turned out the upstairs lights before going to bed, but he always left the basement light on for when the kids came home. As they were walking past the sliding door towards the basement steps, they came upon an unusual scene that stopped them in their tracks. Mr. and Mrs. Forman were in the kitchen. The fact that they were still awake at midnight was only part of what made the scene unusual. It was what they were doing that shocked Steven and Jackie the most.

They were dancing.

Red's lips were moving as they swayed back and forth. He was quietly singing to his wife. Kitty had her eyes closed with a small grin on her face. It was obvious they were enjoying a rare moment alone in their kitchen.

Steven Hyde had always been skeptical of love. As a child, he was constantly disappointed by his own parents. Their love for him was always conditional. He never knew what a stable relationship looked like until Eric introduced him to Mr. and Mrs. Forman. Love was something that was rarely spoken of, but you could always feel it throughout the house. As he gazed through the sliding glass door a realization hit him. He had never seen them in this type of moment. Even though he had been living in the house for over two years and he had been around since he was a small child. Occasionally, you would see them give each other a quick peck in the mornings before they left for work; however, it was usually when they thought no one else was looking. Red had said before that he and Kitty never kiss or hug in public and as far as the rest of the world is concerned they are complete strangers. Despite all of Red's gruff talk, the love between the couple was undeniable. After all, they had been married over twenty years. That goes beyond what a 19 year old can even imagine. Seeing them this way has taken their understanding to a whole new level.

Love doesn't have to be spoken out loud every day or on display for the world. As long as the two people in love know it's there…that is all that matters.

Seeing the sight before her gave Jackie a whole new outlook on what love is and should be. She was the first to speak. "Wow."

"Yeah." There was a slight pause before he spoke the next words. "Let's go downstairs." Steven felt bad for intruding on the older couple's moment.

The Forman's were not aware that they had been watched and Steven intended to keep it that way. As they walked down the steps, the teenager's kept thinking about the picture that was just before them. Once the door was open and they sat down on the couch Jackie spoke up.

"Mr. Forman actually looked happy. I've never seen him like that before. I mean, I've seen him laugh and carry on, but I've never seen him just look truly happy." She paused to think for a moment. "I wonder what brought that on."

Steven laughed, "Jackie, I don't think you want to wonder what brought that on."

Jackie rolled her eyes, "No, Steven. That's not what I mean. It was such a sweet moment. Ya know, until now, I've never really noticed how much those two love each other. They really do have a great marriage."

There was a moment of silence between the couple. Jackie was waiting for Steven to respond to her comment. Finally, he said three words that said more to her than she had ever heard from him.

In a soft voice he spoke. "I want that."

"What?" Her eyes squinted slightly. She was hoping she heard correctly.

Steven looked at Jackie and repeated himself.

"I want that."

Her smile grew.

"Me too."

She leaned in to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Just like that the conversation was over. They continued cuddling on the couch, both thinking about what they wanted for their future.

The End

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 _Hi everyone! I was thinking about how the majority of sweet moments between RK in the show happened when the kids were not around. I also got to thinking about a comment Red made in one of the later seasons (I can't remember the exact episode) about how he and Kitty never kiss or hug in public. That's how I got the idea for this one-shot. I hope you enjoyed it, and I would love to hear your thoughts. Also, I would love to take requests. So if you have an idea shoot me a PM and I will try to put something together. Thanks again for reading!_


	4. First Date

Red Forman was sitting on his couch in the living room trying to focus on the late night sitcom that was playing on the television set. His wife was snuggled in to his side, and had fallen asleep about five minutes into the program. This was a typical Friday night for the couple. Kitty worked so hard taking care of her home, family, and her job at the hospital that she was usually conked out by 9:00 at the week's end. As the program ended, Red gently shook his wife awake by placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Kitty, sweetheart, why don't you go on up to bed." He didn't mind her staying downstairs with him, but he didn't want her spending her Saturday with a sore neck because she fell asleep in an uncomfortable position.

"What time is it?" She said sleepily while letting out a big yawn.

Red let out a gruff sigh and turned off the TV as a look of disappointment flashed across his face. "Around 10:00."

"Laurie's not home yet." It wasn't a question. Kitty knew her daughter well and had a feeling she wouldn't be home by curfew. Her husband, on the other hand, was blind when it came to their daughter. Laurie was his little girl, and his love for her often made it difficult for him to see her true colors. The original curfew Red had set for her was 9:30. However, it wasn't difficult for Laurie to convince her Daddy to push it back to 10:00. All she had to do was look at him with her big blue eyes and he couldn't say no. Kitty was surprised she didn't try for midnight.

"I'm starting to worry, Kitty. If she was going to be late she would have called. I should have never let her go. She's too young to be dating."

Kitty sighed at her husband's words. "Honey, she's almost sixteen. Besides, it's what? 10:05. Just give her a few minutes. She 'll be here."

Red was currently lost in his own thoughts. "I mean what do we really know about this guy, Kitty? For all we know, he could be…"

In an exasperated tone, Kitty interrupted "Red, he's a high school boy. I really don't think we have anything to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?! Trust me, Kitty; I was a high school boy once. So I know for a fact that we definitely have something to worry about." He knew there was only one thing on a teenage boy's mind. Laurie was still so innocent, and it broke his heart to think about anyone trying to take advantage of her.

Kitty rolled her eyes, "Well she's growing up, Red. Laurie dating is just something we are going to have to get used to." Her expression quickly changed and she gave him one of her famous smiles." Don't worry so much, honey. We're in this together." Kitty was always the voice of reason when it came to Laurie.

Red stared at his wife as the realization that she was right hit him. He knew he was being unreasonable. Laurie was probably just running a few minutes late. However, it was difficult to accept that his little girl was not so little any more. In his mind she was still his beautiful little girl with big blue eyes and curly blonde hair. He promised her from day one that he would always be there to protect her. How was he supposed to get used to her dating? It was just one step closer to her leaving home…something he didn't even want to think about.

When he didn't respond, Kitty knew that it was best to drop the subject for now. She knew he was having trouble adjusting to his only daughter growing up. She smiled at him, "I'm going to go on up to bed. Why don't you join me?"

"I'll be up in a little while, Kitty. I'm going to stay here and wait for her."

She smiled again and leaned in for a quick kiss goodnight. As she stood up and began walking toward the stairs she looked back at her husband. The sight of him sitting on the couch, worried, and waiting for their daughter to come home melted her heart. The way he loved and protected his family was something to be admired. In that moment she was reminded how lucky she was to have him as the father of her children.

A few minutes after Kitty walked upstairs, Red turned the TV off and stood up from the couch. He began pacing the living room lost in his own thoughts. He was going through every worse case scenario when he noticed headlights pull into the drive way. His instinct was to meet the pair outside and demand to know why they were late. However, he fought those instincts and decided to let her explain for herself.

He heard the sound of the sliding glass door as it opened, and within seconds her small hand was pushing through the swinging door. Red was still standing in the middle of the living room and his presence startled her.

She had a surprised look on her face as her hand flew up and landed on her chest. "Oh! Goodness, Daddy. You scared me."

His eyes widened as he walked towards his daughter. He wasn't expecting to frighten her. "I'm sorry, Kitten. I didn't mean to startle you."

She gave him a sweet smile and responded. "It's okay, Daddy. What are you still doing up?"

"I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. You're almost fifteen minutes late you know." He stated in a disappointed voice. Laurie picked up on her father's disappointment and immediately started to ramble.

"I know…I'm sorry Daddy…I would have been here on time but Darren got a flat and he had to change the tire and that's what caused us to be late…I'm sorry I didn't call."

He reached out to hug her to his side. There was no staying upset with her. The young girl happily snuggled into him as he gave her a kiss on the head. "I'm just glad you're home." He paused for a second before asking the next question. This was all so new to him. "So…uhh…did you have a good time?"

They pulled apart as she spoke. "Yes, Daddy. Darren is a sweet guy. He even changed the flat tire fast…you would have been impressed."

He let out a small chuckle at that comment. Red being impressed by any young man that was dating his daughter was unlikely; however, he chose not to voice that opinion. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time." Again, there was a slight hesitation in Red's voice before asking the next question. "He didn't try anything or make you uncomfortable did he? Because if he did I'll kick his ass."

Laurie rolled her eyes at her father. Not in a disrespectful way, just to show him that she was slightly annoyed at his question and that he was overthinking this date. It was very similar to the exasperated look that her mother had given him earlier. She smiled before she spoke. "No, Daddy. He was respectful. You know, you don't have to worry so much. Things aren't serious at all. It was just a first date. "

He tilted his head to the side as he spoke his next words in a serious tone. He could see she didn't understand. "I'm always going to worry about you, Laurie."

She nodded her head slowly and gave him a little smile. Deep down she knew that he was the one person she could always depend on. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated that. "I know…thank you." There was a silence between them for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Well, I think I'm going to head on up to bed. Good night." She leaned in for one more hug. "I love you, Daddy." As she said those four words to him, his mind flashed back to the first time he heard them from her.

She had just started putting words together, and Kitty wanted to surprise him. Mother and daughter worked hard, and eventually Laurie was able to put the phrase together. One day, he arrived home after a tough day at work. Kitty was standing in the kitchen with Laurie in her arms waiting to greet him. He couldn't help but smile at the two of them together as he gave Kitty a quick kiss and reached out for his daughter. Laurie snuggled into his chest and spoke those four words to him in the sweetest voice he ever heard. Her timing could not have been better because he quickly forgot about his tough day at work. Red couldn't believe what he heard as he gave a look of surprise to his wife. It was a moment he never wanted to forget.

As she began to walk toward the stairs he pulled himself from the memory and responded, "I love you too, Kitten. Good night." She smiled back at him before she disappeared at the top of the stairs.

Red moved through the living room to sit down in his green chair. He was still too wired from the nights events to be ready for bed yet. He continued thinking about his children and how everything was going to continue changing. It was hard to accept that as Laurie and Eric got older, their parents would no longer be the center of their world. Kitty was right, though. Watching your children grow up was difficult, but it was something you just have to get used to. Red was thankful for the support of his wife…they were in this together.

The End

* * *

 _Thanks so much to nannygirl for giving me this prompt idea. I hope I did it justice. I can just imagine how difficult Laurie dating was for Red. I'm sure there were many curfews that she was late for that ended in Red forgiving her easily. Of course, if it was Eric he would have probably received a lecture then be grounded for a week. LOL. You gotta love father/daughter relationships._

 _Thanks for reading!_


	5. Last Day

_**Authors Note:** This fic is a missing scene that takes place in S2:E2 Red's Last Day when Red, Kitty, Eric, Steven, and Fez get home from the bar._

* * *

Kitty slowly eased the Vista Cruiser into the garage and killed the engine. An hour earlier, Kitty had asked Midge to drop her off at the bar so she could drive the boys home. She was thankful they were finally home and safe. Red would have to drive them back to the bar tomorrow to pick up the Toyota.

She was the first out of the car while Eric slowly staggered out the driver's door behind her. Steven and Fez stumbled out of the backseat laughing and carrying on while Kitty quickly walked around the front of the car to the passenger side to help her husband. Red had opened the car door and put his feet on the concrete. He had one hand on the door to brace himself, but had yet to stand up. She squeezed herself into the space beside him and gently put her arm around him.

"Come on, honey, let's get you inside." She gently pulled at her husband to try to get him to stand up, but he wouldn't budge. "Red, you have to help me here." Kitty was getting slightly frustrated. Red was so much bigger than her that there was no way she could drag him in the house by herself, and it was obvious that the young men laughing and stumbling around the driveway were going to be of no assistance.

Red's slurred words pulled Kitty from her thoughts. "Just give me a minute, Kitty."

Kitty stepped back from her husband. "Oh no. You're not about to get sick are you?" The last thing she wanted to do tonight was clean up after him. All she really wanted at this point was to go to bed.

The man gave his wife a gruff response. "No, I just need a minute."

Kitty turned her attention away from her husband towards the young men standing in the driveway.

"Alright, you three. Get inside." The laughter continued as she stared at them with a stern expression.

"Mom…"

"Go on. Get inside. It's too late for you boys to be this loud out here. You're going to wake the neighbors."

The foreign boy began to walk down the driveway as he spoke. It was hard enough to understand what he was saying when he was sober. Drunk Fez's words came out in a jumbled mess. "I'll be going home now..."

"No, honey. You're staying here tonight." Kitty walked toward him and reached for his arm. She gently pulled him back up the driveway. "You can sleep on the couch in the basement or on the floor in Eric's room. There is no way I'm letting you walk home in this state."

"Okay, Miss Kitty." It was the first time one of Eric's friends called her by her first name. She was usually just Mrs. Forman.

Kitty watched all three boys make their way through the sliding glass door when she heard a noise behind her. She turned around to her husband standing up and shutting the door to the Vista Cruiser. After he shut the door, he leaned his back against it for a second. She made her way towards him and put her arm around his waist.

"Oh, Red…"

"I'm okay, Kitty."

The couple began the walk to their bedroom together. Red's body was heavy against Kitty's, but she was determined to get him upstairs. She didn't want him sleeping alone downstairs tonight.

This morning at breakfast he seemed to be accepting of the situation. He put on the brave face for his family. However, his behavior this evening had proved to her that is was all an act. Occasionally, Red would stop at a bar on the way home from work and have a beer or two. That part wasn't unusual. The fact that he was so drunk that his co-worker had to call his wife to come pick him up was unusual. She sent the boys to get him not expecting them to start drinking even more. It was the first time Red had ever drank a beer with his son at a bar. When she got the call from Eric, she knew it had to be pretty bad. Sure, Kitty had seen her husband drunk throughout their marriage, but never like this. She was worried.

Finally, they made their way through their bedroom door and Kitty helped him sit down on the edge of the bed. She turned and walked back towards the door when Red reached out for her and spoke in a panicked voice.

"Don't leave me, Kitty."

The tone of his voice startled her so she turned back to face him. By the look on his face she knew there was a deeper meaning behind that statement. He wasn't just talking about her leaving the room.

"Honey, I'm just shutting the door."

She gave him a long look before finishing the task she had set out for. After the door was shut, she walked back towards her husband. Red was the type of man to hold onto his worries and fears. Tonight, however, the alcohol brought all of those worries and fears to the surface and it naturally spilled over. He lost his job and was afraid she would leave him. She had to put his worry to rest. Kitty knelt down in front of him so they were face-to-face and gently took his face in her hands. She gazed deep into his eyes as she spoke.

"Red, you know I would never leave you."

The look in his eyes was distant. ..like he was remembering a moment. "When I proposed to you, I promised I would always take care of you. I'm sorry I let you down." His voice was quiet. Red took so much pride in providing for his family. It's what defined him as a man. Now that his job at the plant was gone he was afraid that his wife and children would see him differently.

Kitty's heart was breaking for him and tears were starting to form in her eyes as she spoke. "Red, honey, you have never once let me down." His head started to fall, but she held it firmly in place. "You are an amazing husband and father. We're going to get through this together." She pulled him in for a quick kiss. As she pulled away she couldn't help but speak the next words as she looked at him. "I love you."

The love in her eyes drew him to her and he gently pulled her in for another kiss. The kiss was sobering as he deepened it to show her how much he loved and appreciated her. Red was going to have quite the hangover tomorrow, but in that moment he needed his wife. Before they knew what had happened their clothes from the day were scattered all around the room, and they were tangled up together under the covers. Sweet words were whispered as they got lost in one another.

Red was able to sleep that night believing his wife's words. Everything was going to be okay. They would make it through this.

The End


	6. Apology

Kitty Forman finished putting the final roller in her hair and exited the bathroom. As she walked into the bedroom, she shed her house coat and threw it on top of the clothes hamper. Red was sitting upright in bed reading. His eyes shifted from the book to his wife as she approached her side of the mattress. She gave her husband a small smile and reached for her book while making herself comfortable under the covers. She was exhausted from the day, but wanted to finish a few chapters of her book before falling asleep.

Earlier that evening, Red and Eric surprised Kitty with a night of square dancing. It was something she had wanted to do together as a family for years. In the past, her family had always said no; however, she had given them the cold shoulder since forgetting her birthday and they were desperate to make it up to her. Square dancing was not something Red and Eric were excited about, but at this point they would do anything to make her happy. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as Red expected it to be. Of course, square dancing was cheesy, but he couldn't help but be reminded of their younger days. They went dancing all the time back then. Minus the western hat, tie, and obnoxious belt buckle.

Kitty appreciated the gesture and found herself forgiving them easily. She never could stay mad at her boys for very long anyways. Those two had an unbreakable hold on her heart that would not allow for feelings of animosity.

Kitty began reading the latest chapter of her book while Red had yet to take his gaze off his wife. He couldn't help but think about how cute she looked tonight in that frilly dress. She was so happy and relaxed that it made him realize how much he loved seeing her that way. Even though he apologized at the dance hall for his forgetful behavior, he needed reassurance that she wasn't still upset.

Just as Kitty was getting lost in her book she heard her husband clearing his throat.

"Did you really have a good time tonight, Kitty? I remembered that square dancing was something you always wanted to do together. I hope it lived up to your expectations." His voice was sincere as he spoke. He could tell by the look on her face tonight that she had fun. He just needed to hear her say it.

Kitty looked up from her book and made eye contact with her husband.

"I had a great time, honey. Thank you." She leaned in towards him and gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning her attention back towards her book. He didn't want to interrupt her again, but he felt it was necessary to apologize one more time. Just to be safe.

"Kitty, I'm truly sorry I forgot your birthday."

In a slightly irritated voice she responded without taking her eyes off her book. "I know, Red. You've said that already."

She didn't notice that her voice was laced with attitude. She was too lost in her book. However, that was the way it came across to Red. He still had a lot of guilt about the situation, and couldn't sleep until he knew that the issue was resolved.

Red took a few moments to decide how to proceed. He wasn't used to Kitty being distracted when he was trying to talk to her. It bothered him that he didn't have her full attention. A forward approach would have to be the best choice. He sat his book down on the nightstand then quickly turned back to his right and snatched her book from her hands. Kitty raised her voice in response.

"Red!"

"I'm sorry, Kitty, but I need your full attention."

"I'm trying to read, honey. There really isn't anything more to talk about. We've been over this already." Getting Red to talk about issues in their lives wasn't easy. She should be thrilled that she had more to say. However, tonight all she really wanted to do was read and few chapters and go to bed. Red had already apologized and she didn't want to dwell on the situation anymore.

Red hesitated at first. He knew it was best to listen to his wife, but he needed her to understand where this was coming from. He cleared his throat nervously and pushed through.

"I know we've been over this and I know you've accepted my apology but…" He paused for a moment and reached for her hand…her gentle touch giving him the strength to continue. Expressing his feelings was not an easy task. "You know how much I appreciate you, right sweetheart?"

Kitty's face softened. Her irritation with him for interrupting her reading was slowly beginning to fade. He was trying and all that effort made her heart flutter slightly. Deep down Kitty knew that appreciation was there throughout their whole marriage. It wasn't because she had been upset with him. She just wasn't used to hearing him express it.

"I know, honey." She turned her hand over so her palm was facing up and softly squeezed his hand.

He gaze drifted down towards their hands as he gave her a squeeze in return before adding, "I couldn't ask for a better wife."

Red knew that he wasn't the best at expressing his gratitude. He hoped that his words were able to convey his appreciation for everything she did for him and their children. Kitty had taken care of him for so many years now that he sometimes took for granted the things she did to enhance his life.

Kitty worked hard at her job as a nurse to give them a second income. She gave him two kids that he was proud of, even if they were dumbasses half of the time. Their home was spotless. Each member of the family always had freshly cleaned and ironed clothes. She cooked three warm meals a day. She took care of everything and never complained. She deserved to know how he felt. He regretted not telling her more often.

His eyes met her again as he spoke. "I love you, Kitty."

Kitty was touched by his words and gave him a sweet smile. "I love you too, honey."

It was silent for a moment as they looked at each other until her smile went from sweet to flirty as a thought popped into her head. She eased closer to him as she began to speak. "Well ya know…you could show me just how much you apprec…"

He knew exactly what she was insinuating and didn't even let her finish her sentence before his mouth was on hers. He let go of her hand and brought his arms around her to pull her closer to him. She quickly forgot about her book, and gave one hundred percent of her attention to her husband.

By the end of the night, there was no uncertainty. The couple knew exactly how much they loved and appreciated each other.

The End

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Thank you to PamJam53 for this request. I hope you enjoy it!_


	7. Number One

**Author's note** : This is a pre-series flashback fic to when Laurie was born. I hope you enjoy it!

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Red Forman was sitting alone in the hospital waiting room. It was the middle of the night and his body leaned forward in the seat with his head in his hands. He was forced away from his wife's side an hour ago and he had been a wreck ever since. It had quite possibly been the longest day of his life. He thought he would never experience longer days than when he was in Korea, but that was when he only had himself to take care of.

Red and Kitty had been married for three years when they found out she was expecting their first child. It wasn't something they had planned; however, they hadn't exactly been careful either. Kitty was over the moon from the beginning. It took longer for Red to warm up to the idea. He stressed over his ability to provide for his wife and new baby. Kitty would have to quit her job at the hospital and stay home. Adjusting to life without two incomes wouldn't be easy. Red really wasn't sure what all a baby would need, but he knew it would be expensive. As time passed, he found himself getting more and more excited. It was difficult not to, especially when you start to notice all the changes happening to your wife. Kitty had never looked more beautiful to him.

Red stood up from the chair and started to pace. Was it normal for these things to take this long? He couldn't help but worry that something was wrong. Kitty was everything to him, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. Red was a tough man that prided himself on being emotionless. Kitty was the only person in the world that could bring all those emotions out in him. All the stress and worrying for her was overwhelming, and he felt himself losing control. Luckily, he heard a soft female voice behind him that pulled him from the bottomless pit of worry he was currently experiencing.

"Mr. Forman."

The voice startled him at first, but he quickly turned around to face her. She was a young nurse, probably fresh out of school. He walked towards her as he spoke.

"How's my wife?"

"Mrs. Forman is doing just fine. "

Red sighed with relief. He then asked the next question weighing on his mind. It almost didn't seem real to him. "How's the baby?"

"Perfect." He let out another sigh followed by a smile. She loved this part of her job. Seeing the look of relief and happiness on the new father's face made her grin from ear to ear. "Would you like to see them?"

He was surprised at her question. He assumed he would only get to look at the baby through the window of the nursery. Apparently, Kitty working at the hospital and having the other nurses as friends allowed her to bend the rules a bit. Red nervously followed the young nurse through the swinging door and down the hall towards his wife's room. All of the negative feelings from earlier had changed to excitement now that he knew everything was okay. His wife and child were doing well and that was all he could have hoped for.

When they reached the nurse's station, the young nurse stopped and gave a point towards the end of the hall. She gave him one more grin before she spoke. "Room 385."

He continued walking until he reached the door. The door was cracked slightly so he gently pushed it open. As he quietly poked his head in, his eyes were met with quite possibly the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Kitty was sitting up in the bed as she gazed down at the small pink bundle in her arms.

Pink.

They had a daughter.

His wife was so entranced by their child she didn't even notice him walk in. He was speechless for a moment but once he found his voice he spoke up in a softly.

"Hey."

Her eyes met his and the love she saw in them almost took her breath away. Tears instantly began to form in her eyes as she spoke to her husband.

"Hi, honey. Come meet your daughter."

He walked to his wife's bedside to take his first glance at his baby girl. The nurse was right, everything about her was perfect. He felt those overwhelming emotions hit him again as he tried to keep his composure. It was apparent that Kitty was no longer the only person that could bring those feelings to the surface.

"Oh, Kitty…" he was barely able to choke out the words. Without looking at him she knew exactly what her husband was feeling. She had been feeling the same way ever since the doctor put their baby in her arms. She understood completely.

"I know…" tears were rolling down her cheeks as she looked up at him. He couldn't help himself as he gently put his hand behind her head and pulled her to him for a kiss. As they pulled apart, Red kept his hand on the back of her head as he looked deep into her eyes.

"Thank you, sweetheart. She's beautiful"

She looked back at him and smiled through her tears. She then used her free hand to wipe the tears from her face and started to giggle as she looked back at her daughter. "We did good, didn't we?"

Red let out a small chuckle as well and gave a flirty response to his wife. "Well…what else would you expect?"

"Oh, Red…" She giggled again, more loudly than before.

"Has she opened her eyes yet?"

"They were open briefly when they first gave her to me. She didn't have them open for very long though. The nurse said the baby gets wore out too and not to be surprised if she is asleep for a while." Kitty paused for a minute before realizing the true meaning behind Red's question. "They're blue, honey."

Red smiled at her, happy with the response. Kitty had mentioned that most babies have blue eyes when their born and they often change color as they age. However, he had no doubt that his daughter's would remain blue. He could already see traces of Kitty in her little face and was sure she would grow up to look just like her mother. The couple was lost in silence for a while. The new parents could not take their eyes off their daughter. Finally, Kitty broke the silence.

"Red, sweetheart, do you want to hold her?"

He had never actually held a baby before and had no idea what to expect. He gave his wife a nervous look and cleared his throat before he spoke "Oh…uh…I don't know, Kitty. She's so tiny. What if I break her?"

Kitty let out a small giggle and reassured him. "You're not going to break her, honey. She's not as fragile as she looks. Come here…put your arms out." Red hesitated at first, but he didn't want to disappoint his wife. Kitty started to shift the weight of the baby into her husband's arms. She could tell he was nervous so she gave him encouragement. "You're doing great. Just watch her head."

Red carefully moved his arms away from Kitty's and stood next to the bed. His nervousness quickly faded away as he looked at his little girl. Holding her felt like the most natural thing in the world. Red Forman never cried, but he fought back tears as he felt his daughter snuggle into him. It was like she already knew who he was.

The sight of her husband and daughter together was almost too much to handle. A new wave of tears escaped down her face. Kitty could tell their daughter had her husband wrapped around her little finger already. Just by the way he held her she could already tell he was going to be an amazing father. Red continued to smile at his little girl when a thought popped into his head.

"What should we name her, Kitty?" They had yet to settle on a name, mostly because they weren't sure if they were having a boy or a girl. In the months prior, Kitty had thrown out a variety of names to Red; however, he never gave much of an opinion. Kitty decided to share some of her favorites with him.

"Well, I have a few that I like." Red shifted his gaze from his daughter to his wife, urging her to continue. "I like Kimberly…Laurie…Elizabeth." Red took a moment to put each name together with Forman in his head. Kimberly and Elizabeth didn't seem to flow as well with their last name. He spoke the third name out loud for his wife to hear.

"Laurie…Laurie Forman…I like it."

"Me too." Kitty was pleased with her husband's choice. She was worried that he wouldn't like any of the names she picked. "Do you have any ideas for a middle name, honey?"

Red thought for a moment while looking at his daughter. She already reminded him so much of his wife and it gave him an idea. "Why don't we give her your middle name…Anne. It sounds good together. Laurie Anne Forman." He paused and looked back up at his wife. "What do you think?"

"I love it." Kitty softly laid her head back on the propped up pillow. All the adrenaline had started to leave her body and the exhaustion was setting in. She felt her eyes getting heavy as she continued to watch her husband and Laurie. Red lifted his head again to gaze at his wife. With all of the excitement of meeting his new daughter he had forgot to ask how Kitty was doing. He noticed a change in her demeanor.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" There was worry in his voice.

"I'm okay. Just tired."

He was concerned. "Are you hurting, at all?"

"I'm a little sore. I definitely feel much better than earlier." She added with a chuckle.

He didn't return the laugh. Kitty had been incredibly stubborn while she was in labor and refused any pain medication. She was determined to be conscious so she could be the first person to hold her baby. Watching his wife go through so much pain was not easy for Red Forman. He tried to be supportive of her, but ended up just feeling like a helpless idiot when she would yell at him. So when she asked him to go get her ice chips he was more than willing to leave the room. While he was gone, he found a pinball machine, and ended up staying gone longer than necessary. Once he was back in the room everything happened so fast that he wasn't with her fifteen minutes before the doctor was kicking him out again.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long, Kitty."

"Well, Red, it's hospital policy. It's not your fault the doctor kicked you out."

"No, Kitty. I mean when you asked me to go get ice."

"Oh…yeah. I just figured you were tired of being yelled at. I'm sorry I was so hateful, honey. I know you were trying to take my mind off how I was feeling."

"No, Kitty. You have nothing to apologize for. You had every right to yell at me, that wasn't the problem." He sighed and paused for a moment, trying to find the perfect words to make her understand. He began to ramble. "It was killing me to watch you go through so much pain…especially when it is my fault that you were in that pain in the first place… I didn't handle myself very well…you deserve so much better than…"

Kitty couldn't take it anymore. Even though at the time she was frustrated with him, deep down she understood. She interrupted his ramble "Red, honey, you were wonderful." She looked deep into his eyes and reached out for him. He stepped closer to her and placed his free hand on top of hers. "You hadn't left my side all day. You needed a break. It's okay."

"I know…but…"

The conversation was interrupted when a different nurse came through the door pushing a small nursery crib.

"I'm sorry to interrupt…"

The couple tore their eyes from one another and made eye contact with the young woman entering the room.

"We thought you might want to put her down and try to rest before you have to feed her again."

"She's already eaten?" Red asked curiously. He almost felt left out that Kitty hadn't mentioned it to him.

"Yeah, I tried." Kitty smiled and let go of Red's hand to reach out and touch her daughter. "We're still figuring everything out, aren't we sweetie?" She smiled at her daughter then looked up to make eye contact with the nurse as she spoke. "Thank you, Betty. For everything."

Kitty and Betty had worked together at the hospital for a few years and had become fairly close friends. Typically, babies were taken to the nursery after they were born. Kitty was lucky that Betty had been on shift that night. She was willing to bend the rules for Kitty and allow the young couple a little more time with their baby before taking her to the nursery.

"You're welcome, Kitty. Ya know, my shift ends at seven and I have the next two days off work…"

"Who comes in after you?"

Betty rolled her eyes as she spoke. "Joan and Frances. You know they are very adamant about hospital policy."

Kitty couldn't hide the look of disappointment on her face. She knew she was going to be in the hospital the next few days and without Betty there she knew she wouldn't get to spend as much quality time with her daughter as she would like. She couldn't wait to get home.

As both ladies continued to talk, Red sat down in a nearby chair with his daughter. He already decided that no one was going to tell him to put his little girl down. Not unless Kitty wanted to hold her.

Kitty spoke up again. "Is it okay if Red stays until 6:30 and we keep Laurie in here with us until then? " She looked at her friend with hopeful eyes. "Please."

Betty smiled at the new mother. "Sure Kitty. I'll be back around 6:30. Call for me if you need anything." She started to walk toward the door before turning back around and smiling at her friend again. "Laurie is a pretty name. I'm happy for the two of you."

"Thanks, Betty." Kitty returned her friends smile. Betty softly closed the door as she left. Kitty leaned back against the pillow again and turned her head towards he husband and daughter. They were quite for a while as she took in her new favorite sight. She was sure she could watch them together all day. Red was the first to break the silence.

"I don't want to leave you, Kitty. It won't feel right being at home without you there."

Kitty smiled at her husband, "That's really sweet, honey, but there is no way Joan and Frances are going to allow that. Besides, you would never get any sleep here anyways. When Betty comes back for Laurie at 6:30 you can go home and sleep a while and then come back later if you want. You're going to have to go back to work tomorrow anyway so you need to make sure you catch up on your rest."

It was 3:30 in the morning and the couple had been awake for twenty plus hours at this point. Red was able to take two days off of work, but would have to go back the following day.

"Okay, Kitty." He was starting to feel guilty about keeping their daughter away from her mother for so long. "Do you want to hold her again?"

"You go ahead, honey. I'm going to try to sleep for a little bit while you're here." She had no doubts that Red could take care of Laurie. Neither one of them had much experience with infants, but after seeing him with their daughter she knew he would do everything possible to keep her safe and happy. Kitty's eyes began to get heavier as she spoke to her husband. "Make sure you wake me up if she starts crying…if I don't wake up on my own." She wanted to hold Laurie again, but she knew that Red would have to leave soon and she didn't want to deprive him of time spent with his daughter.

Just as Red was about to respond he looked up and noticed his wife's eyes were already closed. He was thankful because she needed all the rest possible. In the coming weeks she was sure to be sleep deprived and he wanted to help make the transition as easy as possible for her.

Red felt a movement in his arms and looked back down to see Laurie letting out a big yawn. She moved around for a few seconds then surprised her Daddy by opening her eyes. Their eyes met for the first time and he found himself grinning from ear to ear. Red couldn't believe the amount of love he felt for her. It wasn't the manliest thought; however, making eye contact for the first time with the child you made with the love of your life was enough to bring out emotions in any man.

His voice cracked slightly when he spoke to her. "Hi Laurie...Hi Kitten." Red wasn't really sure where that nick-name came from. He had probably heard it somewhere before or maybe because she reminded him so much of her mother. Either way he thought it was fitting for her.

As Red gazed lovingly at his daughter, he had never been more thankful that Kitty bumped into his butt while he was mooning the crowd at that USO dance. Their relationship survived a war, three years of marriage, and now they were setting out on a new adventure of expanding their family. With a beautiful wife and little girl to take care of, Red couldn't imagine being any happier.

The End


	8. Whatever You Need To Do

_**Author's Note:** This story takes place in S4:E2 Eric's Depression. The one-shot is a continuation of the bar scene between Eric and Red after the camera faded to black._

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"… _You can stay in bed and sleep, watch TV…whatever you need to do."_

Red Forman was bellied up to the bar with his son at his side. The pair had been sitting in those barstools for the past thirty minutes in discussion of Eric's latest love life turmoil.

Eric and Donna had broken up.

This was Eric's first break-up and so far the boy was not handling it very well. Red didn't enjoy engaging in mushy, heartfelt conversations. But this was his son, and he hated seeing him heartbroken.

When Red first found out about the break-up, he tried the tough love approach. He made Eric get out of bed, rake the yard, and work his shift at Price-Mart. At the end of the day, Eric was still moping and feeling sorry for himself. On the way home from Price-Mart, Red decided to pull in to the nearest bar and buy his son a beer. He knew alcohol wouldn't make Eric feel better, but it would break the tension between father and son and possibly allow for an actual conversation that didn't involve a war story about a foot.

The first beer helped loosen Red up and he found himself telling Eric about one of his old girlfriends that he was particularly crazy about at the time. He rarely talked about his younger years with his kids. He especially didn't care to talk about the time in his life before their mother. He just didn't find it appropriate. However, he thought the story might give them a connection. He wanted Eric to understand that he had been in his shoes before and even if this moment hurts more than anything you've ever experienced, life does go on.

There was a long silence between the pair. Eric had just told him that Donna wasn't the one that ended the relationship. Red quickly replied with "Whatever you need to tell yourself to make it better." He meant for it to be more of a joke than an insensitive comment. Out of the corner of his eye, Red noticed that Eric cracked a small smile. It was the first time he had smiled all day.

Red did not want to ask why Eric broke up with Donna. That was best left between the two of them. He decided this was a good opportunity to give him some perspective that the break-up might not be the worst thing ever.

"Ya know, Eric. I was almost twenty three before I even met your mother and twenty seven before we were married."

Eric turned his head towards his father slightly. They never talked like this. Red was never the type to share himself with others, even his own children. Eric was enjoying this rare moment, and chose not to make a smartass comment like he normally would. He gave a short response in a voice that urged his dad to continue.

"Really?" It was hard for Eric to imagine Red and Kitty without each other.

Red gazed down at the bar. "Yeah…I had been to war. It's hard to understand unless you've been through it, but…" He paused for a moment trying to decide the best way to continue. "Needless to say I had a lot of baggage…and it sometimes affected my relationships with other people. I had a few different girlfriends throughout that time, but it always seemed to end in disappointment. I had pretty much given up on anything meaningful. Then I met your mother." Red looked up from the bar. He had a small smirk on his face.

Eric could tell he was thinking about his mom. Eric thought back to when he was a kid and remembered that his father consistently had war nightmares. Red always tried to keep this part of himself away from Eric and Laurie; however, some nights they couldn't help but over hear. Kitty was understanding, and knew exactly what to do to calm her husband down. Over time, the nightmares came less frequently. By the look on Red's face, Eric was confident that his mother had everything to do with that.

Red took another sip of his beer before he continued. "The point is, son, you're only seventeen. Don't try to force a relationship that isn't right. You have your whole life ahead of you. Don't waste time dwelling on something that wasn't meant to be."

Eric thought for a moment about his father's words. He had always wanted a relationship like his parents shared. Even though they often tried to hide it, Eric knew that his parents were still deeply in love with each other. Eric thought he had that with Donna. He had tried as hard as he could to make it work; however, it was obvious that he and Donna had different plans for their lives. Eric wanted to have a steady career, get married, and have a family... like his parents. Donna was more interested in the steady career and traveling the world. She had even said that when she thought about her future, Eric wasn't always in the picture. Maybe his father was right…maybe he and Donna weren't meant to be.

Eric cleared his throat, building up the nerve to ask the next question. "Dad…how did you know Mom was the one for you? I mean…how do you know if all the obstacles you face as a couple are worth it?"

Red continued to look straight ahead while silently playing with the handle of his beer mug. Eric wasn't sure if he was thinking about the question or choosing to ignore it. He didn't want to pressure his father; after all he had already shared more with him tonight than ever had before. Just as Eric began to accept that his father wasn't going to answer he heard Red clear his throat.

"Your mom…" Red paused for a moment. He was struggling with finding the right words. "…it wasn't very long after I met your mother that I knew." Red cleared his throat. "From the beginning, we had so much fun together. She accepted everything about me…even when I made things difficult..." Red paused and a small smirk creeped onto his face. "…and she was just so pretty. I couldn't help myself."

Eric focused straight ahead a let out a small smile. He always knew his dad thought the world of his mom. Red showed it through his actions daily. However, it was nice to hear the words.

"Now…it hasn't always been easy between us. We have had our fair share of hard times, but during those hard times it never failed… Kitty would do something or say something that would remind me of how much I love her." Red paused for a moment and shot a glance at the young man. "I've never once questioned my relationship with your mother…that's how you know it's worth it, son. Kitty has always been worth it. Can you say the same about Donna?"

Eric looked down at his beer. It was clear that Donna had been questioning a lot of things in their relationship lately. That's why Eric had purchased the promise ring. He was trying to hang on to her by any means necessary. It was becoming clear to him that their relationship had become one-sided.

Red immediately regretted that question when he noticed his son's mind wondering. He quickly decided to try to shift Eric's focus. "Son, I want you to use this time to your advantage. Find some direction in your life. Focus on school, set some goals…" Eric looked at his father as Red finished off his beer. "…and when the time is right…she'll show up. Just like your mother did for me…" Red chuckled slightly, reflecting on how he and Kitty met. "...when you least expect it."

Eric gave a half smile to his father and nodded his head in understanding. Red nudged him in the side softly. "Come on…lets head home." Red threw a couple of one dollar bills on the bar and headed for the door. Eric quickly finished his beer and stepped down from the barstool to follow his father.

As they made their way to the car, Eric was grateful that Red pulled into the bar that night. Their conversation was oddly comforting, and Eric appreciated the effort his Dad made in trying to lift his spirits. The men rode in silence on the way home, both feeling better about the situation.

The End

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 _Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you have a request._


	9. Remind Me

_**Authors Note:**_ _Hi Everyone! This one-shot takes place during S4: E6 The Relapse. It takes place at the end of the day after Red gets home from taking Bob to the bar. Kitty tells Red what happened with Fez and Michael at the Piggly Wiggly. Hope you enjoy!_

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It was getting late and Kitty was standing in the kitchen in her robe making a cup of tea when she heard the sliding glass door open. She looked up and noticed her grumpy husband walking through the door.

"Hi honey, where have you been?"

"I took Bob to get a beer. Big mistake." He said as he sat down in his chair at the kitchen table. "All he did was cry the whole time. I couldn't understand a damn thing he said. I swear, I'm getting a migraine." Red said as he put his face in his hands.

Kitty sat down in the chair next to him. "Well, honey, he's hurting. It was nice of you to take him for a beer though. Maybe it helped him a little."

"Well, he needs to toughen up. I mean…how could he not have seen this coming? She talked about being unhappy all the time."

Kitty gave her husband a look of frustration. He could at least try being a little more understanding. "Oh, Red…"

"What Kitty?"

"Well…try to be a little more understanding. How would you feel if this was happening to you and your children?"

Red looked at Kitty and his face softened slightly. Deep down Red knew that he would be a wreck if Kitty ever left him. The difference between him and Bob is that he would hold his feelings in. Bob just lets everything out for the world to see.

Red scoffed, "It's hard to be understanding when he is weeping all over my shirt. Besides, just like you said this morning 'you're not leaving me.' So, therefore, it's hard for me to sympathize."

Kitty smiled as she decided to tease him a little bit. "Well, I don't know, Red. I got hit on by a younger man at the Piggly Wiggly today. You might have something to worry about."

Red let out a chuckle. "Yeah, right…"

"Excuse me." Kitty squinted her eyes and gave a questioning look to her husband. His response wasn't the one she was wanting. "Why is that so hard for you to believe someone might be interested in me?"

Red instantly knew he had said the wrong thing so he tried to make up for it.

He sighed "It's not, Kitty. I believe it could happen…it's just…well…we've just been together so long it's hard to imagine. I guess I don't think about that kind of thing happening anymore." Red gave his wife a soft look hoping that he hadn't hurt her feelings.

The couple had been together for so many years now that each had found a lot of security in their relationship. That security made it hard for Red to imagine someone being interested in either one of them. Also, they were quite a bit older now. Other men hitting on Kitty was something that happened quite a bit when they were younger, but Red thought they were past that point in their lives. Of course, Red still thought she was incredibly attractive, but he was just as in love with her today as he was when they were first married. He just didn't realize other men saw her that way anymore. Maybe he was wrong…

Kitty gave him a small glare as she spoke. "Well…it happened today."

Red reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Kitty, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Go ahead…tell me what happened.."

Kitty gave her husband a small smile. "Well…I was in the freezer section of the Piggly Wiggly and I was reaching down into one of the open freezers…" She paused for a second and chuckled …and all of a sudden I felt this hand squeeze my rear-end…"

Red interrupted and let go of her hand. "What?! I thought you were talking about some cheesy pick-up line. I didn't realize he grabbed you…"

Red was clearly upset at the thought of someone touching his wife… especially in such an inappropriate place. Kitty couldn't help but be happy with his reaction. It was; however, how she wanted him to react in the first place.

She let out her famous giggle. "Oh, trust me Red, the story gets better…"

He furrowed his brow, but let her continue.

"So…I turn around and who do I see? Fez… looking like a deer in the headlights when she saw who's rear-end he had grabbed…"

Red couldn't help but interrupt again. "Tonto grabbed your butt? What was he even doing at the Piggly Wiggly?"

"Well, I'm trying to tell you the story, but you keep interrupting." She gave her husband a flirty glare. "Anyways…Michael was there too, and apparently he had brought Fez to the Piggly Wiggly to hit on older ladies…." Kitty paused and let out a big laugh again. "…Fez even had this tennis outfit on. I don't really know what that was about…"

Red on the other hand wasn't amused.

"Kitty, it's not funny at all. It's completely inappropriate. Next time I see Tonto and Kettlehead I'm kicking their asses!"

"Oh, now, Red. It's not that big of a deal. I yelled at them already…"

"It's a big deal to me, Kitty. You're my wife…I don't want the teenage boys that invade our house thinking they can get away with touching you."

Kitty gave a loving look towards her husband. She wanted a reaction out of him, but she didn't want him to be this upset. It was sweet of him to be so protective of her.

"They didn't know it was me, Red." Kitty looked down at the table. She was slightly embarrassed at the words that were about to come out of her mouth. "I don't know…it was nice to feel young again…to feel… attractive." She looked up at her husband and gave him a half smile and a shoulder shrug. "I know…it's silly."

Red cocked his head to the side and looked at his wife. "Hey…what's this about?"

Kitty tried to shrug it off. She shouldn't have said anything. "I don't know, Red…"

There was a brief silence as they looked at each other. Then Red clasped both of his hands around hers. She shouldn't have to be mauled by two dumbasses at the grocery store to feel attractive. It was his job to make her feel that way.

"You know, you have always been beautiful to me, sweetheart."

Kitty choked out a small sob and smiled at him through watery eyes. She felt a slight flutter in her chest after hearing those words. It was nice to be noticed by younger men, but ultimately his opinion mattered the most to her.

She leaned in to embrace her husband while giving him a small peck on the lips. Without breaking the embrace, she looked into his eyes as she spoke. "I love you, Red."

Red smiled down at her. "I love you, too."

After being lost in each other for a few moments, Red was the one to break the silence. "Come, on. Let's go to bed."

Kitty smiled at him again, and began to walk towards the swinging door. Red took a moment to check her out as she walked away. He smirked as an idea popped into his head.

Kitty didn't feel her husband behind her anymore so she glanced around to see where he was.

"What is it, Red?"

Her voice shook him from his thoughts, and he began walking towards her. As he walked up behind her he firmly grabbed her behind and whispered in her ear. "You always have had a really nice ass."

Kitty was startled at first but eventually couldn't control her giggle. She leaned back against her husband as he continued to whisper about his plans for when they got to their bedroom. It had been a while since he had acted this way, and it reminded her of when they were first married.

Kitty somehow found her voice. "I'll race you upstairs."

Before she could take off he gave her a loud slap on the rear and ran past her towards the stairs.

Kitty let out a small yelp. "Red!"

There was laughter as she chased her husband to their bedroom.

The End


	10. Sleep

Kitty Forman held her granddaughter close as they each waved at the car pulling out of the driveway. Eric and Donna were spending their first night away from their little girl to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Kitty was more than willing to babysit Katie, and even more excited to be taking care of her overnight. It had been so long since she had taken care of a little one like this and it was something she missed terribly.

"Wave to Daddy and Mommy." She spoke to the little girl as she held her hand up and encouraged her to wave. Katie was still half asleep from the car ride to her grandparents' house and need a little extra encouragement to wave goodbye to her parents.

As soon as the car was out of sight, Kitty began walking towards the sliding glass door. The toddler laid her head against grandma's shoulder and sighed. Katie was a sleeper and clearly was not finished with her nap.

In a soft voice Kitty said "Let's go inside and find your Grandpa Red. Oh, he's going to be so happy to see you."

Together they walked through the sliding glass door into the kitchen and continued through the swinging door into the living room where they found Red dosing in his green chair.

"Well, aren't you two peas in a pod." She said with her trademark giggle.

At the sound of his wife's laugh, Red stirred from his slumber.

He wiped his eyes and spoke. "When did the kid get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. Eric and Donna just left. Would you mind taking her for a bit while I grab her things and get her room ready?"

Kitty had a crib set up in Eric's old room and was so happy to be able to finally use it.

"Come here, sweetheart." Red reached out for his granddaughter. Kitty leaned down toward her husband's outstretched arms and Katie went to him easily. The young girl had spent enough time with her grandparents and was quite comfortable with both of them. She quickly snuggled into Red's chest and began to nod off again.

Kitty swiped her hand through the baby's hair. "Okay, I'll be right back. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Red let out a gruff sigh. "Kitty, I have done this before."

"I know. I know. It has been a few years though." She said as she gave her husband a wink.

He gave her a sarcastic smile. "We'll be fine."

Kitty smiled back at him and began to walk back towards the swinging door.

As soon as Kitty was out of earshot, Red whispered to his granddaughter. "Your grandma worries too much."

Within a few moments of lying on her grandpa's chest, Katie appeared to be out cold. Red decided to take advantage of the moment and rest his eyes too.

Kitty walked back through the living room with Katie's bag and began the walk up the stairs. She smiled down at her husband and granddaughter and made a mental note to take a picture when she returned downstairs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Red, honey! You and Katie need to wake up. We will never get her to sleep tonight if you two snooze all evening…"

As Kitty rounded the base of the stairs, she noticed her husband was asleep in the chair, but Katie was nowhere to be seen. Red began to stir slightly to the sound of Kitty's bellowing, but had yet to fully wake.

"Red! Where is Katie?"

Red quickly opened his eyes and felt around his chest. When there was no sign of his granddaughter, he was instantly pulled from sleep and sat up in his chair quite alarmed.

In a panicked voice he responded. "I don't know…last I remember she was right here."

Anxiously Kitty responded, "Eric mentioned before they left the driveway that she was becoming more mobile. I'll check the kitchen."

"Damn it!" Red swore, frustrated with himself.

Kitty headed through the swinging door and Red went the opposite direction towards the den.

"Katie! Katie!" Kitty screamed.

The sound of his wife frantically calling out for their granddaughter made Red sick. He should have never fallen asleep.

He was almost through then den into the dining room when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

Katie was curled up on a stack of throw blankets that Kitty had placed behind the chair in the den. Next to her was an assortment of books that were all strung about. She had obviously been playing with them before she fell asleep.

Red felt his heartbeat slow down as he yelled in the direction of his wife. "It's okay, Kitty. I found her." Red then leaned against the doorway and took a deep breath.

He was amazed that even with the ruckus her grandparents were making; the girl was still asleep and content. He continued to peer down at the sweet girl as Kitty ran into the den from the dining room.

"Oh, thank God!" Kitty exclaimed as she barreled through the doorway. Her hands went from her head to over her chest. "That scared me." She spoke again with an awkward chuckle. "How on earth did she end up back there in the first place?"

"I have no idea. She reminds me of Eric though. If I remember right…we used to always find him asleep in strange places too." Red stated with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah…like that time we found him asleep in the flower bed in the backyard?"

Red rolled his eyes. "I forgot about that one. I was actually thinking about when we were at Ma's that one time…you remember?" Kitty shrugged her shoulders and Red continued. "You and Laurie were helping Ma in the kitchen and I was supposed to be watching Eric. I got a little too into the Packer's game and Eric disappeared in the meantime. We eventually found him asleep under the bed in the back bedroom."

"Oh…that's right. I remember." Kitty let out one of her famous laughs. "You don't have the best track record, do you?"

Red was just about to respond with a smart ass comment of his own when the couple noticed a pair of green eyes staring up at them.

"Hi sweetheart…did you have a nice nap?" Kitty squeezed behind the chair and bent down to pick the girl up. Katie let out a squeal in the process. Kitty gave her a kiss on the temple and spoke to her in a soft voice. "You scared your grandpa and me…you have to stay where we can see you…" she said as she walked back towards Red.

Red tickled the girl's foot with his hand and she let out a giggle and reached out towards her grandpa in response. Red took her into his arms and held her close. Kitty couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she watched them together.

Katie laid her head on her grandpa's shoulder as he spoke to his wife. "You know…it feels like yesterday…" Red paused and Kitty gave her husband a questioning look that encouraged him to continue. "…that we were holding our kids this way." He finished while looking at Katie.

Kitty let out a smile and her eyes began to get misty with unshed tears. Getting her husband to talk about his feelings was something that rarely happened. It was obvious that the fear he felt from losing his grandbaby for a few minutes was causing him to be reflective. Kitty didn't want the moment to end.

"It's like we blinked and thirty years went by." Kitty chuckled

Red reached out for his wife's hand and looked into her eyes. "I wouldn't change a single thing."

Kitty smiled "Neither would I, honey."

The End


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